The cover of Rasmani's 2009 album Live is Better.In a few days, Simon’s Pub in Sliema will open its doors to three consecutive days of music. Not that music is ever missing from the pub’s ambience, but as of this Friday through to Sunday night, the music will all be performed live at this year’s edition of the Simon’s Pub Music Fest.
As in past years, this is staged to raise funds for a charitable cause, namely the Inspire Foundation. Further to the initiative of pub owner Simon Tonna and his team of organisers, there’s a long list of bands and artists from the local scene who will all be giving their time to make the festival’s 15th edition another success.
The choice of music on offer at Simon’s over the coming weekend will be diverse, to say the least. Ranging from rock and metal to blues, indie and even some acoustic sets, the list of participating acts is extensive, featuring some festival regulars, established names as well as a few upcoming acts.
People ask me what type of music I sing, and my answer is that I put as much of myself and the music that inspires me into the songs I sing
Of particular note, veteran rock band Acid will be making its first live appearance after a lengthy absence from the local scene, and there will be a special performance by Purple Haze, as a tribute to founding member Steve Borg, who passed away last February.
As has become the tradition with this annual event, there will also be a foreign guest, and this year’s imported talent comes courtesy of Italian artist Raffaele Rasmani. Based in Malta for the past few months, Rasmani is originally from Trieste, where he grew up in a musical family.
“My father and two older brothers are all musicians, so I grew up with music around me,” he says when I ask where his musical inclination stems from.
“When I was eight years old, I started to study classical piano, but I didn’t really like it.” His teacher at the time quickly realised Rasmani’s heart was not in classical music, and offered him an alternative. “My teacher played in a blues band, so he suggested I try that instead, and I’m so glad he did.”
Blues, however, is only a small part of Rasmani’s vast musical spectrum. He is quick to point out that he has dabbled in various genres over the years.
“For a while I was playing with Occhio Spia, which was one of the best ska bands in Trieste,” he recalls. “I’m a big fan of the Hammond and the Fender Rhodes sounds.”
Soul and rock are other areas he finds inspiring, but when pushed to identify his primary background, jazz is the genre that has been the most vital catalyst in his musical development, although he insists that rock and blues are still in his soul.
“When I was 17, I started to work at the Boogie Bar Club (BBC), which was the jazz venue in Trieste,” he reminisces. “I started out as a waiter, but being there got me in touch with many jazz artists who dropped by either to perform or hang out there.”
The connection he established with many of them proved to be a major inspiration for Rasmani to decide where his musical path was headed. Having already shown an interest in singing in his teens, Rasmani, encouraged by the musicians he met and played with at the BBC, decided to focus on this aspect rather than the keyboards.
“When I was about 15, I used to sing my own interpretations of songs by other artists. I found this very interesting, to the point that my singing became much better than my piano-playing, perhaps also because I was too lazy to study piano,” he laughs.
He maintains that having a jazz background helps him considerably when giving his own interpretation to a song. “People ask me what type of music I sing, and my answer is that I put as much of myself and the music that inspires me into the songs I sing.”
I suggest that makes it either ‘no particular style’ or ‘all styles rolled into one’. This is a summation he agrees with to some extent, adding that “it really all depends on the song and the people performing it”.
One thing he does like to do when he sings, is give the song his own twist. “It is a very important aspect, and it gives me the freedom to use my voice not only to sing words but also as an instrument.”
He references a vocalist by the name of Demetrio Stratos who, in the 1970s, fronted revolutionary prog-rock band Area.
“Stratos had a very particular style. He was probably the first singer to use Oriental methods of vocalisation in Western countries.”
The challenges one faces in trying to learn tuva or diplophony are very demanding, Rasmani explains. “I’ve spent much time practising to be able to produce two different vocal sounds simultaneously, but one must be careful, as long periods vocalising in those frequencies can induce a state of trance.”
In the few months he has been in Malta, Rasmani has been performing with British singer-songwriter Charlie Rackstraw and Korean guitarist Yuuk at the regular open mic nights Rackstraw organises. It’s developed into a pleasant and fruitful collaboration that’s given him the opportunity to stay in touch with the music.
So what are we to expect from his performance at the Simon’s Pub Musicfest?
“I can’t really tell you exactly, but I’ll be joined by Yuuk and Eric Santucci for sure, and I think there will be a drummer and a keyboard player. I’m also hoping to have a trumpet player, but I will leave it as a surprise”.
www.rasmani.com
The Simon’s Pub Music Fest will be held this Friday (8pm), Saturday (8pm) and Sunday (2pm). Apart from Rasmani, the line-up includes Kizum Klof, Dusk, The Myth, No Red Tape, Rising Sunset, Acid, Squad 16, Infinite Loop, 12th Ode, MoJo, Purple Haze tribute, Beangrowers, Julian Casha, Deflecto, NV, Fiona, Mikaela, Chris Grech, Red Electrick, Colourblind, Stoned, BND, Red House Blues Band, Explicit and Alex Alden.